21W.012: Writing about Sports
Fall 2013/Boiko
Assignment #8
1) READ Hank Aaron’s “When Baseball Mattered.” Aaron’s short essay, written in
1997, laments the diminished social relevance of baseball. Unlike, say, Phillip
Lopate’s meditation on the sport, which minimizes concerns about what happens
off the field, something more is at stake for Aaron when he looks back to Jackie
Robinson.
Consider: Aaron wrote his essay more than 15 years ago. Do you think the
situation in baseball is the same? What about other sports? What does it mean for
something such as a sport, and its major leagues, to matter?
2) READ the first two of the debate pieces on the topic “Should Character Matter in
Pro Sports?” Underline points that you think are strong, regardless of whether
you agree or disagree with them.
3) WRITE: Begin to craft your own contribution to the debate, based on your
reading of these two pieces. Write only 1-2 paragraphs (paragraphs with at least 4
sentences—not the very short ‘graphs included in the examples). You may also
keep Hank Aaron’s concerns in mind as you write.
We will read more debate entries and write more in class, and then discuss.
4)
READ “Argument” - this explanation will help you with Essays 2 & 3, especially.
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21W.015 Writing and Rhetoric: Writing about Sports
Fall 2013
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